Steam-actuated valve



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. W. O. HEISTER. STEAM AGTUATED VALVE.

Patented Nov. 1,1881.

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HIIIIIIIIIIIW (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2..

W. O. HEISTER.

STEAM AGTUATED VALVE.

lilllflllllllllll Patented Nov. 1,1881;

(No Model.)

' 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. W. G. HEISTER.

STEAM AGTUATED VALVE.

Patented Nov. 1. 1881.

Nrrno STATES PATENT IVILLIAM O. HEISTEB, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

STEAM-ACTUATED VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 248,859, dated November 1, 1881.

Application filed June 14, 1881.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. IIEISTER, of Springfield, Clarke county, Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Actuated Valves, of which the followin g is a specification.

My invention comprises a novel combination of auxiliary piston, double slide-valve, ports, and channels whereby the stroke of the piston proper of a direct-acting steam-engine can be controlled automatically and with the utmost ease and regularity, as hereinatter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of a steam-cylinder embodying my improvements, the double slide-valve and steam-chest being removed, so as to expose the peculiar-arrangement of ports. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of said cylinder, taken at the line 1 l of Fig. 10, the steam-chest and its auxiliary piston being omitted. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the ports, taken at the line2 2 of Fig. 1, the double slide-valve being shown covering said ports. Fig. 4 is a section of said valve, taken at the line 3 3 of Fig. 12. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the cylinder and double slide-valve, taken at the line et- 4 of Fig. 1. Fig.6 is another section of said cylinder, taken at theline 5 5 of Fig. l0,the steam-chestand its'auxiliary piston beingshown in position. Fig. Tisa plan of the upper side of the main slide-valve. Fig. 8 is a plan of the lower side of the samel Fig. 9 is a vertical section of said valve, taken at the line 6 f Fi 8. Fig. 10 is a transverse section of the cylinder and steam-chest, taken in the plane of the exhaust'port. Fig. 11 is a plan of the-under side of the upperslide-valve. Fig. l2.is a plan of said valve in position on the main or lower slide-valve. Fig. 13 is a sec' tion similar to what is shown in Fig. 3, but with the upper slide-valve shifted.

Referring to Fig. 1, A represents the valveseat of a steam-cylinder, which latter may be of any suitable size and construction, but the seat is pierced with a peculiar series of ports arranged as follows: Situated at one side of this seat are the customary inlet-ports, B B, and an exhaust-passage, O, which latter leads into a channel, c, having outlets c 0. The opposite side of this seat has two ports, D E, for

(No model.)

Located between these ports D E is a secondary exhaustport, F, communicating with the channel c, as shown in Fig. 10.

G and H are intermediate ports, having, respectively, outlets g h, situated near the opposite ends of seat A. Adapted to travel over these various ports is the main or lower slidevalve 1. constructed as follows: On one side this valve has a concavity, J, to afford communication between either of the inlets B or B and exhaust O, as shown in Fig. 2, the opposite side of said valve havinga central slot, K, and two outer and parallel slots, L L, the lat ter being provided, respectively, with chambers H at their inner ends. (See Figs. 6 and 8.) Furthermore, this lower slide-valve has two apertures, M M, and two grooves, M. These .groovesit" receive tongues n n, proj ecting from the opposite ends of the upper slide-valve, N, which latter is adapted to travel steam-tight on the lower or main slide-valve, l, a space, Z,

being provided to permit such play, as more clearly seen in Fig. 12. This secondary slidevalve h as perforations O 0, adapted at the proper moment to communicate with the apertures M M, the under surface of this valve having a. concavity, 0, that exhausts steam from the chest Q while the auxiliary piston P I? is in motion, as will more clearly appear hereinafter.

Projecting upwardly from the valve N is a lug, N, concaved at top to embrace a stem, Y,

that connects the two heads P P of the auxiliary piston, which piston traverses a cylindrical steam-chest, Q, bolted down on the seat A. This auxiliary piston carries plungersp 19, that cushion steam within chambers q q at the op posite ends of the chest Q, and thereby prevent any sudden jar when said piston completesits stroke. Furthermore, the connectingstem Y of this piston is slotted vertically, as shown in Fig. 10, to admit the lever R of a handle, It, that is employed for throwing the piston P P when the engine is first warmed up preparatory to being started. Steam-chest Q, has channels 1 'l", communicating, respectively, with the outlets g h, asseen in Fig. 6.

By referring to Fig. 5, it will be seen that the port 1) joins two branch channels, U U, entering near one end of the steam-cylinder,

while the opposite port, E, unites with two other branch channels, V V, leading into the other end of said cylinder.

\V is the piston proper, the outer rings of which are chamfercd off at 10. X is a portion of the stuffing-box.

To illustrate the operation of my self-actuated valves, I will suppose steam is entering the port B and driving the piston W in the direction indicated bythe arrowin Fig. 2. In this condition of the engine the concavityJ of the lower slide-valve, I, connects the ports 0 and B in the usual manner, while the upper slidevalve, N, occupies the position indicated in said illustration, but more fully shown in Fig. 12,t.hereby affording an intervalorspace,Z, between these two members, I and N. Furthermore,in this condition of the valves the apertures M and O are in line with each other, as seen in Fig. 3; but live steam from the chest Q cannot now flow through these communicating openings, because the lower end of perforation M is closed by contact with the seat A; but, as the other apertures M O are not at this moment in line with each other, it is-evident live steam cannot now enter the port H from chest Q. It will be noticed by referring to Fig. 5 that when the valve N is in the position just described its concavity 0 opens communication between the ports K and L of the lower valve, I. Consequently, as soon as the piston W has passed beyond the branch channel V, live steam from the cylinder will ascend said channel and flow through the ports E L and concavity 0 into the central port, K; but as the lower end of thelatterport, K, is closed by the seat A the steam must find some other avenue for escape. Now, by referring to Fig. 9 it will be seen that the chamber l ot'port L communicates with the port H, and consequently the live steam is free to flow through this port H, its outlet h, and channel T, (see Fig. 6,) and then enter the chest Q and act directlyon the head P of the auxiliary piston. This piston is at once driven to the opposite end of said chest, carrying with it, as far as the space Z will permit, the upper slide-valve, N, and bringing its opening 0 in line with the aperture M of the lower slide-valve, I, as seen in Fig. 13. Live steam from the chest Q now flows through the coincident apertures M 0, ports H h, and channel T, and forces the piston P P and its coupled valves I N forward until the plungerp cushions against the steam in chamber q.

From this description it is evident the steam which first flows up from the cylinder is made use ofonly to initiate the retraction of the auxiliary piston P P, at which moment said piston has simply to shift the upper slide-valve, N, on the lower one, I, which operation requires but very little power, while the full head of steam,

taken directly from the chest Q, is rendered available for driving said piston when both of said valves are moving together, and the friction increased accordingly. Consequently, if the steam ascending from the cylinder should be somewhat condensed, it will still have sufficient power to start the auxiliary piston P P on its return-stroke, and then allow the live steam in the chest Q to complete said stroke. But previous to this retraction of the piston P P any steam between its head P and the chamber q flows out through channel T, ports g G, recess l, port L, wasteway F, and outlet 0, as seen in Fig. 6, and the above-described motions are then repeated at every stroke of the engine. When the valve I is in the position seen in Fig. 5 a part of chest Q will exhanst through the ports L F into the channel 0, but not sufiicient to release the piston P P for its return-stroke. Therefore it is necessary to provide the concavity 0, in order to overcome the back pressure.

The object of the port V is to prevent any accumulation of vapor in the chest Q while the piston proper, W, is passing the port V, which accumulated vapor would otherwise center the upper slide-valve, N, and prevent its proper action. The port U performs a similar service for the port U at the opposite end of the steamcylinder. The chamfered follower-heads w of the piston proper, W, afford a quick sharp opening when said piston passes either of the ports U or V, and thereby insure prompt action of the engine-valves. Finally, owing to my peculiar arrangement of valves and ports, the auxiliary piston P P completes its reverse stroke before the piston proper, W, reaches the end of the steam-cylinder, thus causing said piston W to cushion against a body of live steam and prevent the engine being strained by severe shocks or concussions.

I claim as my invention- 1. The ports D and E, communicating, respectively, with the steam cylinder by the branching channels U U and V V, in combination with the main slide-valve I, having ports K L L, carrying a secondary slide-valve, N, having ports 0 0, said valves being driven by the auxiliary piston P P, substantially as herein described.

2. The combination of main slide-valve I J K L l L l M M, secondary slide-valve N 0 O 0, ports D E F G g H h,'channelsTT',steamchest Q, and auxiliary-piston P P, which piston operates said duplex slide-valve, as herein described.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM C. HEIS'IER.

Witnesses:

F. M. HAGAN, E. 0. HAGAN. 

